Slide caliper

ABSTRACT

A slide caliper device having a rule provided with a plurality of inscribed, spaced, parallel, vertical and horizontal lines on the face thereof. Numerals indicating the numerator of fractional distances are inscribed in the spaces created by the vertical and horizontal lines. A slidable member or indicator engages the rule and also has indicia and numerals inscribed thereon indicating the denominator of fractional lengths. When the indicia of the indicator is moved to the point of intersection of horizontal and vertical lines on the rule, a direct reading between end portions of the rule and indicator is obtained.

United States Patent [191 Crawford Aug. 14, 1973 SLIDE CAIJPER [76]Inventor: Howard H. Crawford, 206 Raynolds,

El Paso, Tex. 79905 [22] Filed: Sept. 28, 1971 [21] App1.No.: 184,529

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1875 Loar Packet 33/166Primary ExaminerI-larry N. Haroian Attorney-Clarence A. OBrien andHarvey Bl Jacobson "i571 Ansrn CT A slide caliper device having a ruleprovided with a plurality of inscribed, spaced, parallel, vertical andhorizontal lines on the face thereof. Numerals indicating the numeratorof fractional distances are inscribed in the spaces created by thevertical and horizontal lines. A slidable member or indicator engagesthe rule and also has indicia and numerals inscribed thereon indicatingthe denominator of fractional lengths. When the indicia of the indicatoris moved to the point of intersection of horizontal and vertical lineson the rule, a direct reading between end portions of the rule andindicator 1,231,934 7/1917 v I I is obtained' FOREIGN PATENTS OF:APPLICATIONS 2 Cl I 4 D" I Figures 21,464 1892 Great Britain 33/104INCHES PMENKU 3.71 814 INCHES Hoard H. Crawford INCHES 1\' VENTOR.

suns CALIPER This invention relates to slide calipers. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to a slide caliper by means of whichlinear lengths can be directly read by the average person.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it isan object of the invention to provide a measuring device which furnishesat a glance the linear measurement of an article placed between endportions thereof.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a measuring devicewhich is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and whichprovides a direct measurement of an article without undue complexity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides aslide caliper wherein a generally rectangular member or rule is providedwith a plurality of spaced parallel horizontal and spaced parallelvertical lines inscribed on one face thereof. The horizontal andvertical lines form spaces in which are inscribed numerals indicatingthe numerator of fractional linear lengths. A slidable member orindicator engageable with the rule and having indicia and numeralsadjacent the indicia provides the denominator of fractional lengths whenthe indicia of the indicator is aligned with the intersection ofhorizontal and vertical lines on the rule. Means are provided forfastening the indicator in position so that a measurement thereon may beretained. In usage of the device the length or width of an articleplaced between end portions of rule and indicator can be directly readfrom the device.

The nature of the present invention having been set forth, there willnow be presented a more detailed description in illustration but notlimitation of the invention in the following specification and drawingsin which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the elements of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view of the invention showing a firstalignment of the indicator with the rule to effect a first measurement;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a second measurement; and

FIG. 4 is a view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1 showing the detailsof the engagement of the indicator with the rule.

Turning now to FIG. 1, there is shown generally at the slide caliperdevice of the invention comprising a first member or rule 12 which isflat and generally rectangular in configuration. Rule 12 for presentpurposes has a length of approximately two inches and a width of oneinch. At one end of the rule I2 and depending therefrom there is formeda jaw or am 14 which constitutes one measuring or end point of the slidecaliper device. Rule 12 of the device may be made of metal, plastic,wood, cardboard or other suitable material. Inscribed on the face ofrule 12 are a plurality of spaced parallel horizontal lines, one ofwhich is shown at 28. The parallel horizontal lines as shown may runsubstantially the length of rule 12. Also inscribed on the face of rule12 are a plurality of spaced parallel vertical lines, one of which isshown at 26. The vertical lines run the full width of the rule 12 andare slightly inclined from the horizontal axis of the rule so that theintersection of vertical and horizontal lines form an angle slightlygreater than 90 as shown.

The spaces formed by the vertical and horizontal lines one of which isshown at are inscribed with numerals which indicate the numerator offractional lengths measured by the device. It is also to be noted thatthere. are eight rows and columns of numerals. The numerals inscribed ineach square constitutes the numerator of a fraction in 64ths of an inch.Therefore, the first column increases from 1/64 inch to 8/64 inch, thesecond column increases from 9/64 inch to 24/64 inch. Columns 3 through8 ascend in a similar manner. In

. order to simplify the fraction obtained from the measuring device theindicia on both rule 12 and indicator l6 reduce the fraction to itslowest common denominator. For example, row 1, column 2 is inscribedwith the numeral 1 and indicator 16 when aligned with the intersectingvertical and horizontal lines of this column and row reads 32. Thisprovides a fraction of 1/32 inch which is the lowest common denominatorof the fraction 2/64. In this manner, the inscribed numerals on rule 12and indicator l6 always provide the fraction in terms of the lowestcommon denominator as well as in terms easily readable by the averageperson. Each space 30 isan equilateral parallelagram having Va inch byrialinch dimension. Thus, movement from the first column to the eighth'column constitutes a distance or length of one inch measureable inincrements of A; inch. However, movement of the indicator betweenintersecting horizontal and vertical lines is always l/64 inch. Asstated above, the rule 12 has a length of approximately two inches.Accordingly, there is provided a second group of columns of numeralsranging from 9 through 16 which also constitutes a distance or length ofone inch. Rule 12 also comprises a heel or stop means 32.

It is understood that jaw 14 and heel 32 may be made integral portionsof rule 12 or separate elements attached thereto. Any variation of theseelements would be in the purview of the invention as understood by thoseskilled in the art.

A slidable member or indicator 16 is adapted to slidably engage rule 12and comprises a jaw 18 depending therefrom which constitutes the othermeasuring or end point of the slide caliper device. Also mounted onindicator 16 is a knurled headed fastening means 20 which as shown inthe side elevational view of FIG. 4 has a screw shank portion 22attached thereto which extends through the top of indicator 16 to lockthe indicator 16 into any selected setting or position.

Turning again to FIG. 1, indicator 16 has indicia 24 inscribed on theend thereof which faces the jaw 14 and heel 32 of rule 12. Above indicia24 are numerals one of which is shown at 25. The numerals 25 onindicator 16 represent the denominator of fractional lengths measurableby the measuring device 10. Specifically, the numerals of the indicatormeasure fractional lengths in l/64 inch dimension.

As seen in FIG. 1, indicia 24 are aligned with the parallel horizontallines 28 of rule 12. An arcuate-shaped portion 27 adjacent jaw 18 isdesigned so that the slide may be easily moved over rule 12 by the thumbof the user. When the indicator is moved to its utmost left position itis stopped by heel 32 and prevented from disengagement with rule 12.Stop means may also be provided at the end opposite of heel 32 of rule12 to prevent disengagement of the indicator when rule 12 is moved tothe far right position.

In reading measurements from measuring device 10, indicator 16 is movedto the left or right until one of its indicia is aligned with the pointat which a horizontal and vertical line intersect. At this point, thenumerator of the fraction is read from rule 12 and the denominator ofthe fraction is read from indicator 16. This is illustrated, by way ofexample, in FIGS. 2 and 3. In FIG. 2, indicator 16 has an indiciaaligned with numeral 9 on rule 12 and the numeral 16 on indicator 16.Thus, the space between jaw means 14 and 18 represent a linear distanceor length 9/16 inch which is the lowest common denominator of thefraction 36/64th. In FIG. 3, indicator 16 has an indicia 64 aligned withnumeral 25 on rule 12. Hence, the linear distance between jaw means 14and 18 in this case is 25/64 inch.

The measuring device may be used to measure the outside diameter ofsmall tubing. In such event, the tubing is placed between jaw means 14and 18 and the jaws closed about the tubing. Then the numerator of thefractional diameter length may be read from the rule 12 and thedenominator from the indicator 16. When the device is to be employed asa gauge a setting is made on the caliper device and the fastening meanstightened to maintain the setting and then the article to be measured isplaced between jaw 14 and 18 to ascertain its conformity to the settingor to a known standard.

Since the vertical lines on the rule 12 are slightly inclined,intersecting horizontal and vertical lines may be employed as means formeasuring distances between the jaw means of the rule 12 and indicator16 without inscribing the length along the horizontal axis of the rule12. This arrangement also facilitates discernment of the fractionaldistance without the confusion and complexity which attend other caliperdevices.

From the foregoing, a slide caliper device has been disclosed which maybe employed generally as a measuring device. It will occur to thoseskilled in the art that the present invention may be used in otherapplications. Also other variations, modifications and adaptations ofthe present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the artand such as come within the purview and scope of the appended claims areconsidered to be embraced by the present invention. What is claimed asnew is as follows: 1. In a measuring device including a rule having aplurality of spaced parallel horizontal lines and spaced parallelvertical lines inscribed thereon, a first jaw means on said rule, anindicator means slidably mounted on said rule, said indicator includinga plurality of vertically spaced apart indicia in alignment with saidhorizontal lines of said rule, and a second jaw means on said indicator,whereby said indicia on said indicator in cooperation with saidhorizontal and vertical lines on said rule provide an indication of thefractional linear distance between said first and second jaw means, theimprovement comprising said vertical lines being inclined to form anangle with said horizontal lines of greater than said angle openingupwardly and in a direction away from said first jaw means, saidhorizontal and inclined vertical lines intersecting to define a seriesof spaces in which numerals representing the numerator of the fractionallinear distance between said first and second jaw means are inscribed,and

said indicia including numerals associated therewith inscribed on saidindicator representing the denominator of the fractional linear distancebetween said first and second jaw means,

whereby upon alignment of one of said indicia with an intersection ofsaid horizontal and vertical lines, the numerator of the fractionallinear distance between said first and second jaw means appears from thenumeral in the space on said rule immediately adjacent said indicia andthe denominator of said fractional linear distance appears from thenumeral on said indicator associated with said indicia.

2. A measuring device, as claimed in claim 1, further including meansfor fastening said indicator in position on said rule.

=8 i t t

1. In a measuring device including a rule having a plurality of spacedparallel horizontal lines and spaced parallel vertical lines inscribedthereon, a first jaw means on said rule, an indicator means slidablymounted on said rule, said indicator including a plurality of verticallyspaced apart indicia in alignment with said horizontal lines of saidrule, and a second jaw means on said indicator, whereby said indicia onsaid indicator in cooperation with said horizontal and vertical lines onsaid rule provide an indication of the fractional linear distancebetween said first and second jaw means, the improvement comprising saidvertical lines being inclined to form an angle with said horizontallines of greater than 90*, said angle opening upwardly and in adirection away from said first jaw means, said horizontal and inclinedvertical lines intersecting to define a series of spaces in whichnumerals representing the numerator of the fractional linear distancebetween said first and second jaw means are inscribed, and said indiciaincluding numerals associated therewith inscribed on said indicatorrepresenting the denominator of the fractional linear distance beTweensaid first and second jaw means, whereby upon alignment of one of saidindicia with an intersection of said horizontal and vertical lines, thenumerator of the fractional linear distance between said first andsecond jaw means appears from the numeral in the space on said ruleimmediately adjacent said indicia and the denominator of said fractionallinear distance appears from the numeral on said indicator associatedwith said indicia.
 2. A measuring device, as claimed in claim 1, furtherincluding means for fastening said indicator in position on said rule.